Dr Jai Rautela from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research was a recipient of 2 cell lines funded under the Australia-Japan foundation initiative, he outlined his project below.

"Cancer immunotherapy has been a revolution in cancer treatment. Although we have seen significant responses with such drugs, many patients still develop progressive disease. One reason underlying this limitation is that only a fraction of the immune system is engaged by these therapies (mainly T cells). Our group is researching novel ways of improving the anti-tumour function of natural-killer (NK) cells. The two cells lines requested are good models of normal human NK cells and acute myeloid leukaemia. By using these cells for genetic screens to discover pathways that improve NK cell functionality we hope to identify novel drug targets.

"Japan-derived cell-lines for Australia-based preclinical Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) research” is supported by the Australian Government through the Australia-Japan Foundation of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.